The Doctor in Rome, with Caesar
by LilyRose9
Summary: This story takes place in Rome during Caesar's campaign against Pompey. Caesar calls for the Doctor's aid as citizens of Rome disappear, their bodies found scattered along the city edges. Join the Doctor, Jack, and Rose as they investigate the mystery surrounding these disappearances.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Doctor Who characters, though it would be fun to own Captain Jack.**

 **This is my first time posting a story on Fanfiction, based on the reviews I'll see how far I want to take it. So pretty please with sugar and chocolate sprinkles on top review!**

Darkness settled along the horizon as the thick grey clouds thickened into a heady blanket, blotting out the light of the waning moon. Ice curled along the edges of the temple the marble frescos of Venus and Cupid crackling as it drew breath, its hungry gaze halting upon the single flame within the center of the building.

A strange whooping noise startled the air as it sucked in its breath torn from the flickering candle and turned its sinewy gray neck to the sky. A whirling blue box shattered through the thick cloud layer as it spun down in its own miniature tornado to land next to the terracotta building.

The door swung open as grey smoke came curling out in billowing plumes, followed closely by a man in a black leather jacket. Walking around to the front of the box, he ran a hand along the wooden surface as he took a metal rod from his pocket. Words came tumbling out in a rush of muttering curses as he ran the rod over the deep blue wood, the slight beeping drawing two more people from the smoke filled interior. A blonde woman reached out to grasp the first man's arm as her companion followed behind, his dark hair unruly as he pulled on the long blue greatcoat.

Watching it all from above the lidless white eyes followed the movements of the trio before it slunk back behind the temple's arches and into shadow.

Δ

"What's wrong with her now Doctor? Did Jack mess up the landing gears when he spilled mum's tea on the console?" Rose asked, her brown eyes crinkling as Jack reared around the glare at her.

"Oh so now it's all my fault that your mom makes scalding hot tea and puts it in a leaky thermos!" He shouted his hands flying about his head only to rest on his hips which he had cocked towards Rose. "I see how it is, Jack's always the bad boy and the Doctor's a saint."

"Hardly," the Doctor murmured as he ran the sonic screwdriver over the TARDIS once more before running back into her smoke filled interior. "Something called us here through the psychic paper, but there was some resistance as we traveled through the vortex." he called back to his companions as he ran the screwdriver around the control panel, pulling on plugs and pressing buttons.

"Well where's here exactly Doctor?" Rose asked, her head popping around the door to watch his frenzied rush around the console.

"Uh. Right, here is about 49 BCE in Rome and we're at the Atrium Vesta where the Vestal Virgins live," the Doctor replied as he slid the sonic screwdriver back into his pocket and turned to face Rose, a grin breaking out across his face to stretch out to his ears.

"VIRGINS!" Jack yelled as he began to jump around, pulling Rose along with him in an impromptu dance. "Where? Where are the virgins? It's just such a quaint little concept, oh if I was back in the 51st century and— ow." The Doctor cut him off with a look while Rose pinched his arm.

"They're Vestal Virgins Jack, they choose to stay pure and keep the fire of Rome lit, and it's a sign of Rome's strength and purity, not some antiquated puritan belief. They symbolize the honor and virtue of Rome," the Doctor said as he winked over at Rose while Jack sighed and threw his arms out to hug the TARDIS.

"Seems reasonable," Rose murmured as Jack shook himself and straightened his suspenders. "Why're we here Doctor, what did the message say?"

"It was a call for help from an old friend of mine. His army should be encamped outside the city aways," the Doctor responded as he walked over to close the doors to the TARDIS.

"Who's your friend?" Jack asked returning to the conversation.

"Caesar. Julius Caesar."

"Oh this is the best idea you've had in a long time Doctor," Jack said as a grin broke out across his face crinkling his blue eyes. "Come on Rose, let's go meet Caesar." he said as he linked arms with Rose and headed off towards the twinkling lights to the right of the temple.

"The camp's actually this way you two," the Doctor called out, jerking his head the opposite way as Jack and Rose wheeled around to follow him.

Δ

"So how do you know Caesar?" Rose asked as she linked her arm with the Doctor, leaving Jack to wander between the narrowing streets.

"Oh you know, usual reasons. Chaos, aliens, world ending," he replied grinning at Rose before turning to reign Jack in. "Oi, don't go wandering off, the Romans don't take kindly to strangers, especially in wartime."

"Alright, but only because I want to talk with Rose," Jack said as he slung his arm around Rose's shoulder, pulling her into his side. "So what do you think Rose? Can we handle these Romans?"

"Oh I know we can."

"You two shut it, we're here," the Doctor said, turning to his two companions as they reached the edge of the city.

Giant tents of billowing white stood out against the dark night sky, as flames and ashes wound their way beneath the starch color to darken the atmosphere. Horses were tethered to wooden poles along the way as men lay scattered between fire pits, their armor loosened as the mugs of wine lay forgotten upon the sodden loam.

"Who goes there?" A sentry started from his perch along a log at the camp barrier, his burnished armor glinting beneath the torch in his upheld hand.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor. And these are my friends Rose and Jack. I got a message from Caesar saying to meet him here," the Doctor said as he sauntered forward flashing his psychic paper at the man.

"Oh right, we were told you were coming. Come along then, Caesar shouldn't be kept waiting," the man shrugged his arm onwards and the Doctor, Rose, and Jack followed him into the heart of the encampment.

Jack sidled up next to the sentry, taking in his short blonde hair and muscled form with a quick once over.

"Hi, Captain Jack Harkness. And you are?"

"Jack, no. Just no," the Doctor murmured as he got the young man's furious blush.

"I was just saying hi," Jack pouted as he turned back to their guide.

"Just saying hi means a whole other thing to him," Rose muttered causing her and the Doctor to break out into silent body wrenching giggles as Jack continued to question the man.

"So solider, you still haven't told me your name."

"Sorry Captain, it's Sextus Quintilanus."

"Sextus? Strong Roman name, where're you from Sextus?" Jack smirked as he ghosted a hand along Sextus' back.

"Campania sir."

"Ah nice place, so what brings you— ow," Rose slapped Jack upside the head as they came to a halt before a great white tent, the arches draped in golden embroidery.

"We're here, I must go back to my post," Sextus took off before Jack could get another word in.

"Well come on then, let's go meet the great Caesar," Rose said as she pushed back the tent flap and ushered the Doctor and Jack before her.

A dim series of flickering candles illuminated the inside of the tent, drawing all attention to the table laid out in the middle where a man was currently seated. Middle aged with a balding crown, he looked up at his guests with a strong jaw and piercing blue eyes which narrowed as they settled on the Doctor.

"So you've come then?" he asked his voice like gravel pouring down into a rushing riverbed.

"Well I did get your message. Doctor, urgent: need help. People dying. Come soon. XOXO Caesar,"


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: So it's been awhile, life and school and everything caught up with me. As always I own nothing, though owning Jack would be interesting. I'll try to post semi-frequently (ie every few weeks).**

RECAP:

 _A dim series of flickering candles illuminated the inside of the tent, drawing all attention to the table laid out in the middle where a man was currently seated. Middle aged with a balding crown, he looked up at his guests with a strong jaw and piercing blue eyes which narrowed as they settled on the Doctor._

 _"_ _So you've come then?" he asked his voice like gravel pouring down into a rushing riverbed._

 _"_ _Well I did get your message. Doctor, urgent: need help. People dying. Come soon. XOXO Caesar."_

"It is urgent Doctor, my citizens are in danger, Rome is in danger. People have been disappearing off the streets, only to be found days later outside of Rome. Their bodies are mutilated beyond imagining, something I had a hard time believing until I saw for myself," Caesar replied, his eyes flashing.

"Sounds like our kind of problem Doctor," Rose muttered with Jack nodding his head beside her.

"Yes, well that's all terrible… do you have any of the bodies still? I'd like to examine them," the Doctor trailed off as Rose and Jack raised their eyebrows.

"There was one found this morning, I had a feeling you would want to see it when you arrived. It's in the tent next door, report to me when you've discovered something. You are dismissed Doctor," Caesar's words trailed after the black leather disappearing behind the tent flaps.

"He's at it again, he's got that look in his eye—you know," Rose grinned, her cheeky smile infectious as Jack began to laugh.

"Oh I know Rosie, looks like we'll be staying awhile. Now let's go see about some mutilated Romans," linking arms with Rose, Jack led her after the Doctor.

Δ

The beige blanket fluttered against the draft of the tent flaps opening, it's frayed edges revealing a hollowed skeleton, skin stretched tight against the bone. Running his sonic around the corpse, the Doctor started to mutter to himself, much to Rose and Jack's chagrin as they entered behind him.

"That's ghastly, wot do you think happened Doctor?" Rose asked as she leaned over the body.

"I dunno, it looks as if the blood, muscles, and tissue have all disappeared beneath the flesh. All the organs are missing too; the only sign of injury is the triangular hole along the ribcage. A mystery for sure."

"Well it's a good thing that the crack team is here to do the investigative work, what's our first step Doctor?" Jack said coming to stand next to his two companions.

"Do what you do best, talk to the locals—but Jack don't do anything stupid. Actually, I'd better go with you. Rose can you stay and find out what Caesar is keeping from us, there's more than what he told us."

"Don't worry Doctor, I'll get it out of him, I have my ways," Rose's eyes crinkled as she dimpled and held her tongue between her teeth.

"Oh Rosie, how devious of you," Jack snickered.

"Not like that Jack, go ahead you two we have a mystery to solve," Rose giggled as she shoved the two men out of the tent.

Δ

Fires crackled along the paths between the tents as Rose followed behind Caesar to his general's tents. Speeding up to match his fast-paced stride, Rose's eyes followed the gazes of the men around them, their stares lingering on her denim clad body.

"I'll find something more proper for you to wear Miss Rose, you're drawing for more attention than I believe your Doctor would like." Trailing after Caesar, Rose took in the way men snapped to attention as he walked by, he had a presence about him, much like the Doctor, a sense of authority and purpose that seemed to fill the air. Rose wished she could do that, could turn heads and command respect, but she was just a drop-out who used to work in a shop. Straightening her shoulders, Rose shoved her self-pity down in time to jerk to a halt as Caesar had stopped before what appeared to be a shrine.

"What's that?" Rose asked as she cocked her head in the direction of the shrine. A giant bronze wolf with snarling teeth stood in the center of a circle of columns. The eyes of the wolf seemed to glow gold in the firelight from the torches along the columns.

"That's Lupus Malum, she guards the warriors of men, it's said that she stalks the stars protecting the innocents searching for the Champion of Time," Caesar replied, his voice taking on an almost reverent tone, "Soldiers have been worshipping her on the eve of battle for many years."


End file.
